He changed Tiwat

Last quarter, Mondstadt produced a new type of Sunset Fruit, which is said to have been bred and improved by Mondstadt alchemists and is four times sweeter than the ordinary Sunset Fruit.

Both Dong Sheng and Bo Lai wanted to seize the market for this new product, so they each contacted fruit merchants in Mondstadt—and coincidentally, they both contacted the same supplier.

After a fierce competition, Bolai emerged victorious in the bidding and secured the exclusive rights to "Four Times Sweet Sunset Fruit".

Dong Sheng always felt that there must be some off-site factors that caused his failure to win the bid—for example, his own helper leaked his bottom price to Bolai, allowing Bolai to gain the upper hand.

Little did he know that Bolai, with a ruthless determination, decided to buy the goods at a loss, adhering to the principle of not letting Dongsheng profit even if he lost money...

From then on, he couldn't stand Lao Meng no matter what, and always wanted to fire this "commercial spy". However, since the employment contract between the two had not yet expired, Dong Sheng could not find a reason to fire Lao Meng.

At the time, rumors of counterfeit Mora circulated among merchants in Liyue Harbor, and Dongsheng General Store, with its wide customer base, was bound to receive counterfeit money.

Dong Sheng couldn't tell the difference between real and fake Mora, but he knew that there must be a lot of counterfeit money in the Mora he had recently acquired. So he deliberately used the newly acquired Mora to pay Lao Meng's salary, actually thinking that he was venting his anger and getting revenge on the spies from the Bolai faction.

Old Meng's subsequent "malicious demand for unpaid wages" undoubtedly gave Dongsheng an excellent excuse...

Just like those wicked bosses who pick on their subordinates when things don't go their way, Dong Sheng ultimately took out his grudges against Bo Lai on Lao Meng.

After listening to Dong Sheng's account, Han Fulai sighed inwardly. Old Meng was truly unlucky. Not only did he encounter the "natural disasters" of the depletion of the mine and the change of the earth's veins, but he also ran into the "man-made disasters" of the fake Mora and the struggle between Bolai and Dong Sheng. Perhaps he really needed Hu Tao to exorcise the evil spirits and get rid of his bad luck.

"Boss Dongsheng, you should have been a complete victim in the Mora forgery scandal. The 'exchanging fake for real' policy proposed by our Liyue National Bank was to compensate the victims for their losses... But you thought of shifting the losses to the innocent Lao Meng and making him work for you for free. This not only violates your employment contract but is also fraud, which is punishable by law," Han Fulai said seriously.

Upon hearing the word "sentencing," Dong Sheng immediately pleaded, "Deputy Minister Han, please have mercy! I, Dong Sheng, have elderly parents and young children to support, and we all depend on this 'Rongfa Shop' for our livelihood. If the shop closes down, my whole family will starve!"

"And what about Old Meng?" Han Fulai retorted. "In your moment of anger, you caused someone to lose their livelihood, now their wife and children are separated, and they almost lost their lives... Doesn't your conscience hurt?"

"Ah...this...I really don't know...I really thought he was sent by Bolai, I, I..." Dong Sheng stammered, his face turning red with anxiety.

"Even if he really is a 'commercial spy' sent by Bolai, Liyue has its own 'Liyue Commercial Code' to punish him. Do you have the right to deal with him in this way in private? You could have reported it to the General Affairs Department for investigation and handling... Or have you done something like this before and are afraid of being implicated?" Han Fulai's gaze was like a knife, piercing Dong Sheng's face with pain.

"I...I didn't...I didn't..." Dong Sheng shook his head frantically.

Han Fulai emphasized, "You are his employer, and he is your employee. You have an employment contract, not a contract of servitude. He is not a punching bag for you to vent your anger on, understand?"

Dong Sheng hurriedly admitted his mistake: "It was my fault, I was so stupid! I will definitely change, I will definitely change!"

Han Fulai lowered his head and thought for a moment before giving his verdict: "I'm giving you a chance now... You should take this tax bill and declare the back taxes and fines you owe to the General Affairs Department later. Considering that you are also a victim of the forgery of Mora, I can spare you from jail and not shut down your shop, but there is one thing you must do."

Upon hearing that he could be given a chance, Dong Sheng nodded repeatedly: "I promise to do whatever you say!"

Do you know where the Hall of Rebirth is?

"Yes, I know!" Dong Sheng hurriedly replied.

"Old Meng is currently working as a ritual officiant at the ancestral hall. I'm giving you the time to bring him your due wages, plus three times the amount of compensation for wrongful termination of his employment contract, and go to his home to apologize. I will go to Old Meng to verify whether you've done it, understand?" Han Fulai said.

"Understood, understood," Dong Sheng replied repeatedly.

Han Fulai then asked, "Furthermore, I need you to explain to the neighbors who ate at Huyan Restaurant and restore Lao Meng's reputation. Can you do that?"

Dong Sheng looked troubled. "This... but he really did..."

Han Fulai raised an eyebrow, his voice deepening: "Have you ever seen someone rob someone with a toy sword? If you're going to fight, then fight. Don't talk nonsense, understand?"

"I know! I know! It's all a misunderstanding! I'll go prepare an apology right away!" Dong Sheng was really "very proactive" this time.

Han Fulai waved his hand, "No rush, Boss Dongsheng, I have a few words I want to say to you."

The owner of Dongsheng smiled obsequiously: "I am all ears to Vice Minister Han's teachings."

Han Fulai pondered for a moment before saying, "I've heard that the name of your 'Rongfa Shop' also has a story behind it?"

Dong Sheng didn't know why Han Fulai was asking this, but he still told him the origin of the shop in detail.

"I was once an adventurer, and I've roamed this continent quite a bit. Many years ago, during one of my adventures, I passed through Dihua Continent and unexpectedly encountered a monster, leaving me severely injured..."

"Fortunately, a masked immortal came to my rescue, and I barely escaped with my life. This life can be said to have been given to me by the immortal, and I can't just throw it away so easily. So since then, I have stopped taking risks, resigned from the Adventurers' Guild, and opened this shop to do some small business."

"In Liyue, there's an old saying that when a person is reborn, it's called 'a withered tree flourishing,' so I took the last two characters as my shop name to commemorate this experience."

Han Fulai nodded. "I happen to know this masked immortal you're talking about. We often have meals together. He's a Yaksha, a demon-slaying sage under the Emperor."

"You...you actually know that person..." Dong Sheng's tongue started to get tied again.

So he really is the "successor of the Emperor"? He can so casually say that he often goes out to eat with immortals... This Deputy Minister Han may be even more powerful and influential than the rumors suggest!

Han Fulai's image in Dong Sheng's eyes instantly became even more terrifying.

"I'm giving you this chance to change because you're someone the Great Sage Who Subdued Demons saved. The Great Sage Who Subdued Demons is the most righteous person in his life, and I don't want him to feel like he saved the wrong person. Do you understand?" Han Fulai said slowly.

"Of course, of course! By the Great Sage Who Subdues Demons, I swear to him that I will never dare to do anything bad from now on!" Dong Sheng quickly raised his hand to swear, afraid that if he was too slow, a green spear would fall from above his head.

After leaving "Rongfa Shop", Han Fulai planned to make a detour to Yuehai Pavilion to entrust the matter of Boss Dongsheng to his direct assistant, Miss Huixin.

However, having just finished a chivalrous journey he had planned, Xingqiu's face was full of a feeling of unfinished business.

"Brother Han, I have some questions I'd like to ask you," Xingqiu said.

Han Fulai smiled and said, "You want to ask me why I only gave Dongsheng a warning and then let him go, right?"

Xingqiu nodded.

According to his plan, Dong Sheng should have been escorted to the General Affairs and Judicial Office. Just letting Dong Sheng apologize and then letting him go felt like something was missing. The martial arts stories he wanted should have a system where evil is punished, only then could it be considered a good story.

“Sending Boss Dongsheng to jail won’t help Lao Meng,” Han Fulai replied.

"Simply getting back some wages won't change Lao Meng's situation. What he really needs is the understanding and support of his family. His family is the driving force behind his life. All his hard work and struggle is for the sake of his family being able to live a better life."

"Old Meng did act irrationally in a moment of impulse, and the nature of that behavior cannot be changed; it is illegal and criminal. Although I sympathize with Old Meng, I cannot change the facts for him. The harm suffered by his family is, in the end, the bitter fruit he swallowed after his impulsive act."

“But…” Xingqiu hesitated, unable to finish his sentence.

Han Fulai waved his hand. "From the standpoint of a civil servant upholding the laws of Liyue, I cannot change Lao Meng's criminal record. However, a criminal record only becomes something if someone brings it up. If no one cares, it's just a record and doesn't affect anything. Just as you can ignore this record and recruit Lao Meng into Blackrock Depths, I hope this matter won't have any further impact on Lao Meng and his family."

"It's true that evil deeds should be punished, but a good story also needs to be rewarded. What do you think?"

"So, Brother Han, you were both finding fault with Dong Sheng and bringing up that Demon-Slaying Great Sage, all to make Dong Sheng willingly restore Old Meng's reputation... I see." Xing Qiu suddenly realized.

Ultimately, Han Fulai's actions were aimed at giving Lao Meng tangible "benefits".

Even if Dong Sheng is sent to prison for a few years, it will at most give Lao Meng some satisfaction, but it won't change the fact that he attempted robbery, nor will it change how others view him. His family will still be unable to withstand the gossip, and they will still be unable to live in Liyue Harbor. In the end, although Lao Meng may receive legal justice, he may not necessarily get the life he truly wants.

Han Fulai's combination of kindness and threats forced the Dongsheng boss to admit his crimes and make compensation, which can be considered a relatively satisfactory solution to Lao Meng's worries.

On the one hand, he made Dongsheng apologize to Lao Meng in person and provide financial compensation to alleviate the financial difficulties of Lao Meng's family. On the other hand, he arranged for Dongsheng to restore Lao Meng's reputation. As the "victim" of the robbery, it would be more effective for Dongsheng to explain himself.

In this way, Old Meng's family would have a basis to return to Liyue Harbor, and thus a chance to reunite with Old Meng.

Now it depends on Xin Yan and Yun Jin's abilities. Of course, Han Fulai has a lot of confidence in these two.

Han Fulai continued, "Actually, although that Dong Sheng boss is cunning and sly, he's not inherently bad. He has a family and a life he wants to protect. When I mentioned Lao Meng's family earlier, his reaction was indeed somewhat regretful, which shows that he at least has some conscience, only occasionally being blinded by greed. If Lao Meng's family returns to Liyue Harbor, they'll probably still be living in Tiger Rock. Dong Sheng boss feels guilty and can help them out to some extent."

“Yes…more than seeking revenge against Boss Dongsheng, what Lao Meng wants most is to live a good life with his family. When we act chivalrously, we must also consider the needs of those we help. Giving Boss Dongsheng a chance to reform is also a matter of chivalry,” Xingqiu added.

Han Fulai, remembering his promise to Bai Shu, slowly said, "We must both learn from past mistakes and prevent future ones... and also heal the sick and save lives."

"Punishing past mistakes to prevent future ones, curing the disease to save the patient..." Xingqiu recited these eight words, feeling that they contained profound meaning.

Han Fulai then asked, "Second brother, have you thought about this? Actually, Lao Meng's tragedy could have been avoided. If he hadn't acted impulsively, things might not have come to this."

Xingqiu frowned. He knew Han Fulai was right, but why did Brother Han suddenly bring this up? If Brother Han wanted to say that Lao Meng's tragedy was caused by his own impulsiveness and that he should take responsibility, then why help him?

Han Fulai then changed the subject: "But in reality, Lao Meng's tragedy was unavoidable. One Lao Meng might be able to suppress his impulse and endure the oppression... but among thousands of Lao Mengs, there will always be one who can't hold back. Perhaps that Lao Meng wouldn't be carrying a blunt sword, but a real knife and gun, and the consequences would be far more than that. And there are only two of us, we can't help every Lao Meng."

Xingqiu nodded. Countless stories of joy and sorrow unfold in Liyue Harbor every day; Old Meng's situation was simply something they happened to witness. Behind their backs, there are always those who succumb to tragedy.

“So I think workers like Lao Meng need an organization,” Han Fulai continued.

“An organization? If it’s workers, then it’s under the jurisdiction of Huishan Hall…” Xingqiu didn’t understand what Han Fulai was saying for a moment.

Han Fulai shook his head. "It's not an organization of you mining companies, it's an organization of the workers themselves, for example, the 'Liyue Labor Association'."

Chapter 335 Making and Dividing Pancakes [4k]

Huishan Hall is the department in charge of mining in Liyue among the eight gates. It was originally a logistics department organized by the miners of Liyue.

Mining is, after all, a dangerous profession, and injuries and fatalities are common, so a certain level of protection is indeed necessary. One of the daily operations of the Huishan Office is to regularly distribute compensation to miners injured or killed on the job. After the closure of the Stratorock Abyss, the relief funds for unemployed miners were also distributed by the Huishan Office, although it was a drop in the ocean, it was still something.

In addition, the Hall of Glorious Depths also oversees all the mines in Liyue, reviews the operating qualifications of mines, and supervises safe production, among other things.

Overall, it is a department similar to the "Geological and Mineral Resources Administration Bureau".

Liyue is a nation founded on commerce, and for over three thousand years, the Huishan Hall has long been occupied by mining merchants. Most of the past hall chiefs were mining tycoons, and the civil servants under their jurisdiction were also mostly children of mining merchants. They have long formed a closed circle of inheritance and have become a de facto mining merchant guild.

For example, the Liyue Yun clan, who control the Blackrock Depths, are essentially the de facto owners of the Huishan Hall.

The opening of the Chunyan Giant Abyss by Han Fulai was also greatly facilitated and promoted by Huishan Hall.

However, as Han Fulai said, Huishan Hall was not an organization of workers, but an organization of miners—they were actually protecting the interests of mining merchants.

This also means that the Huishan Hall will not really care about the lives of miners like Lao Meng—otherwise, why would so many miners in Liyue turn to banditry and join treasure-hunting groups?

"'Liyue Laborers' Association'...?" This was the first time Xingqiu had ever heard this term, or rather, the first time the native inhabitants of Teyvat had ever heard it. After all, before Han Fulai's transmigration, laborers did not have the concept of a laborers' association.

Merchants in Liyue each have their own guilds, the largest of which even ranks among the Eight Guilds, while the workers in Liyue have always been a disorganized bunch.

For example, the Silver Plains Administration is the salt administration department under the rule of the remnants of the Salt God, and they manage all the salt fields in Liyue. Of course, there are salt-making workers in the salt fields, but those workers are not Silver Plains Administration civil servants, but rather have a status similar to contract workers or temporary workers.

For example, the predecessor of the Dewstone Guild was a tribe that mined glass sand and traded ceramic products near the Laminaria Falls. Later, it became a guild in Liyue Harbor mainly composed of ceramic merchants. The ceramic workers who fired the kilns were just craftsmen hired by the ceramic merchants and were not part of the Dewstone Guild's official staff.

Similarly, the officials in Huishan Hall were mainly mining merchants, and the officially established positions at the grassroots level were all held by foremen of varying ranks. For example, Yuehui, the foreman who asked Han Fulai and Jiang Xue to investigate the "dazed Hilichurls" in the Layered Rock Abyss, was also a foreman under Huishan Hall, although he was a staff member of a public institution and not a civil servant.

In addition to the shipbuilding workers at the Liyue Shipyard, the construction workers under real estate developers, the silk textile workers in the silk industry, and the laborers unloading and loading cargo at the docks, the number of workers in Liyue is actually quite large. However, these workers have not formed a unified guild, and the departments that govern them are not all the same.

The "Liyue Labor Association" that Han Fulai mentioned sounds like it's about organizing the workers of Liyue together.

Xingqiu frowned. His intuition told him that this association seemed to be more than just an ordinary guild or association.

"Brother Han, do you perhaps intend to... establish another gate outside of the Eight Gates?" Xingqiu asked.

Han Fulai smiled and replied, "Yes and no."

Xingqiu looked at him with a puzzled expression. Although he had known his brother Han for a long time, he still couldn't get used to the language of civil servants.

Han Fulai explained, "It is because the 'Liyue Laborers Association' does indeed perform functions similar to the Eight Gates, acting to protect the interests of Liyue laborers; it is not because it is not a department under the jurisdiction of the Seven Stars government, but just a private association."

"Oh." Xingqiu nodded.

Liyue Harbor is a melting pot of all sorts of people, with a diverse array of guilds and associations. Some are more conventional, like the "History Research Society," while others are more specialized, such as the "Fish Price Research Association." Even Walnut's "Alleyway Poetry Club" can be considered an association. Adding a "Liyue Labor Association" wouldn't be surprising.

However, he immediately raised a new question: "I think the organization that Brother Han mentioned... is probably difficult to establish, and even if it is established, it may not be able to play any role."

Although Xingqiu didn't speak very clearly, Han Fulai could understand him.

There are historical reasons why such an organization has not existed in Liyue for 3,700 years.

This is partly due to the rule of the deity Yan Wang Di Jun, who makes all decisions with his word; and partly because traditional industries are like separate worlds, with workers from different industries having little contact, let alone forming a cohesive organization.

As for the authority of guilds, Liyue, a nation founded on commerce, naturally prioritizes merchants.

Take the porcelain merchants of Shenglu Hall, for example. Their ancestors had made an alliance with the Yaksha messengers and fought alongside the Rock King Emperor. They also participated in the great battles to suppress the Dragon King Ruotu and repel the Dark Calamity, making them truly meritorious.

To paraphrase the words of those powerful and wealthy families on the Jade Capital Terrace: "My ancestors carried spears for the Emperor, while your ancestors played in the mud in the fields."

When it comes to inheritance, these merchants can trace their lineage back to their ancestors and tell stories of starting a business together with the Emperor.

In terms of influence, even if the "Liyue Laborers' Association" were actually established, as a non-governmental association without a formal tradition, its power would probably be limited. Therefore, no one in Liyue has ever considered organizing these laborers.

But this is precisely why Han Fulai wanted to establish this labor association.

—Because the Rock King Emperor is already "dead".

The blessings and favors bestowed upon those who fought alongside the Rock King Emperor to conquer the world have quietly vanished with the Emperor's "death".

Few people realize this, but at least a few people in Liyue do, such as Ningguang and Han Fulai.

Zhongli had already hinted at, or explained, Han Fulai's matter in the Salt God Ruins.

For example, his covenant with the people of the salt god was followed in the name of the god of covenants during his reign.

In other words, the dead cannot keep their contracts.

His abdication left not only a power vacuum, but also an opportunity—an opportunity to re-establish the political landscape of Liyue and generate new political forces.

“Initially, it might indeed be as you say, but in the long run, it will be effective, very effective. The problem we need to solve is not whether it will be effective, but whether it will even exist,” Han Fulai said with a smile.

"Is there a problem..." Xingqiu pondered.

Seeing that Xingqiu still had doubts, Han Fulai smiled and said, "Well then, it's already afternoon, why don't we find a place to have lunch first, and then talk slowly?"

Xingqiu and Hanfu arrived at Feiyunpo and found a restaurant nearby to sit down.

Liyue Harbor is a bustling hub for merchants, and naturally, it also has chefs who provide food for traders from all over the world. In addition to Nata, the cuisines of all six Teyvat nations can be found in Liyue Harbor.

The restaurant Xingqiu found was a Monde-style restaurant, and the head chef was from Monde and made authentic Monde dishes.

Due to his business dealings, Xingqiu frequently traveled to Mondstadt. His preferred clothing and even the sword he carried were in the Mondstadt style, and naturally, his favorite dishes also included Mondstadt cuisine.